The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has launched the African Trade and Distribution Company (ATDC), a new entity designed to promote large-scale trade in raw materials, minerals and value-added products across the continent. The launch took place during the Intra-Africa Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025) in Algiers, Algeria, and was officiated by Afreximbank President and Chairman Prof. Benedict Oramah in the presence of Algeria’s Acting Prime Minister H.E. Sifi Ghrieb and several African and Caribbean leaders.

ATDC was established through Afreximbank’s investment arm, the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), in partnership with Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP), Equitane DMCC and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat. Afreximbank has committed US$1 billion to the initiative, which will support the aggregation of value-added goods, logistics and distribution networks as well as financing subsidiaries’ operations.

The launch also saw the unveiling of ATDC Minerals (ATMIN), a flagship subsidiary dedicated to trading and financing minerals and hydrocarbons. Prof. Oramah said Africa has historically relied on others to add value to its commodities and minerals, but ATDC and ATMIN would help the continent retain more of this value within local economies by strengthening trade integration and promoting value addition.

Several deals were signed on the margins of the ceremony, spanning logistics, minerals and agricultural produce. These included collaborations with Arise IIP to supply feedstock to its companies in special economic zones, a co-investment partnership with BSMART Technology Limited to establish digitally integrated logistics hubs, and trade agreements with Export Trading Group, KK Kingdom Nigeria Limited and Sunbeth Global Concepts Limited. ATDC also entered joint ventures with CBZ Holdings in Zimbabwe and the Nigeria Commodity Exchange to set up national ATDCs. ATMIN announced oil lifting agreements worth around US$3 billion with the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited and Roxzen Nigeria Limited.

ATDC Chief Executive Officer Abdul Aziz Ba said the company would build a robust trading ecosystem that integrates Africa’s markets with global supply chains, shifting the continent from exporting raw materials to value-added products and last-mile distribution. Ajay Oommen, CEO of ATMIN, noted that the subsidiary would focus on monetising Africa’s fossil fuel resources ahead of the global energy transition, fostering intra-African trade and ensuring more of the value remains on the continent.

The Intra-Africa Trade Fair, which runs until September 10, remains a major platform for businesses to showcase goods and services, generating more than US$118 billion in trade and investment deals since its inception. The launch of ATDC is expected to strengthen Africa’s ability to benefit from the AfCFTA’s single market of 1.4 billion people and a combined GDP exceeding US$3.5 trillion.